Birthdays!

3- Happy Birthday Max!

19- Happy Birthday Lizzie!

Did you know?

Ms. Sandy is finishing up her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and doing student teaching, so she won't be around very much for the next few months. She'll be back on schedule in mid May. We want to welcome Ms. Lauren who will be helping us out for the next few months.

Contract Reminders

Weekly Payments-

If Monday is a holiday then payment will be expected the business day before. Payment will be considered late if not paid on Monday and will be expected Tuesday morning and a $20 late fee will be applied. If payment is still not paid it will be due Wednesday before care and the child will not be allowed to attend until payment is paid in full.

Monthly Payments-

If the 1st of the month is during the weekend or a holiday, then payment is due on the business day prior to the weekend or holiday. If not paid that day, it will then be due the next business day before care, and a $20 late fee will be applied. If still not paid, it will then be due the following business day before care. On this day the child will not be allowed to attend until the fee is paid in full.

Take a Look!

Activities and Fun Things to Do with Preschoolers

Traditional games are fine to keep preschoolers busy, but even better are activities that will have a lasting educational impact. Use these important learning goals for 3- to 5-year-olds as a basis for playtime.

Pretend play

Tea party. Have the preschooler host a tea party for dolls, stuffed animals, and you. Invite others -- whether siblings or sitters -- to join in on the make-believe play to develop social skills, in addition to imagination.

Cooking or store. If the child has Little Tikes or similar plastic food and playsets at home, encourage her to re-enact familiar scenarios from real life. Or she can use older pots and pans. By driving the action herself, she's learning to develop narratives.

Dress up. Allow her to put on and take off costumes herself, which also teaches hand-eye coordination in addition to creativity and role playing.

Stories and songs

Story time. Read stories often. Ask questions about what objects the preschooler might see in picture books, and encourage the child to ask about any words she doesn't understand. This develops comprehension and vocabulary skills. It also provides important fodder for pretend play.

Foreign languages. Encourage word association and second-language building at this age in a game form. Take a handful of familiar objects such as "ball" or "train" and teach them in Spanish, French, or American Sign Language.

Day trips

Take advantage of social and cultural opportunities. Preschoolers are curious about the world around them. A day trip -- even if it only lasts a couple of hours -- will occupy a preschooler while providing important social and cultural experiences. If you visit local museums and art galleries, point out colors and shapes. "Please touch" museums and exhibits encourage preschoolers to explore with their eyes and hands.

Visit a park. Spending time at a park that is frequented by children of the same age can be a healthy, fun and inexpensive outing.

Explore your neighborhood. Walk around your neighborhood looking for acorns, leaves, bugs or architectural features, which can teach your children to observe the world around them more closely.

Preschoolers are like sponges of social and cultural information. Plan activities that will both entertain and educate them, and you'll both have a great time.